Indus Valley Times

NEW DELHI,MAY 19 : A searing heatwave swept Delhi as the maximum temperature on Sunday reached 44.4 degrees Celsius, the season’s highest so far. Najafgarh area was the hottest in both the national capital and the country, with a maximum temperature of 47.8 degrees Celsius.

No respite from the heatwave is expected for a week as hot winds from Rajasthan continue to blow across the national capital.

The Safdarjung observatory, Delhi’s main weather station, recorded a maximum temperature of 44.4 degrees Celsius, four degrees above the normal range, while the minimum temperature was at 28.2 degrees Celsius, two degrees above the normal range.

Most of the areas in Delhi, however, recorded maximum temperatures in the range of 45-47 degrees Celsius, which is four to six degrees above the normal range. For instance, Najafgarh was the hottest area in the national capital with the maximum temperature at 47.8 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature in Najafgarh was also the highest in the country.

Mungeshpur and Pitampura areas sizzled at 47.7 degrees Celsius and 47 degrees Celsius, respectively. Ayanagar recorded a maximum temperature of 46.4 degrees Celsius, while Palam and Ridge saw maximum temperatures reaching 45.1 degrees Celsius and 45.9 degrees Celsius, respectively.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heatwave conditions in many parts of Delhi and sounded a red alert. The department has also forecast a partly cloudy sky with strong surface winds at a speed of 25 to 35 kmph.

Weather officials warned people to remain cautious and urged them to ensure “extreme care for vulnerable people”, including infants, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases.

“There is a very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heat stroke in people of all ages, and a health concern for vulnerable individuals such as infants, the elderly, and those with chronic diseases, the department said.

“Avoid heat exposure and keep cool. Avoid dehydration,” it added.

The weather office suggested drinking sufficient water and using ORS or homemade drinks like lassi, torani (rice water), lemon water, and buttermilk to stay hydrated.

A heatwave is defined when the maximum temperature at a weather station reaches at least 40 degrees Celsius, with a deviation from the normal of at least 4.5 degrees or more, according to the IMD.

A severe heatwave is declared when the maximum temperature is 6.5 degrees above the normal.

According to the IMD, most areas in Delhi were hotter as compared to cities in neighbouring Rajasthan, a state which has the Thar Desert and is known for having temperatures breaching the 50-degree Celsius mark.

Delhi was hotter than Bikaner (44.6 degrees Celsius), Barmer (45.8 degrees Celsius), Jodhpur (45.6 degrees Celsius), Kota (46.2 degrees Celsius) and Sriganganagar (46.7 degrees Celsius). All these cities recrded maximum temperatures in the range of 44-47 degrees.

The same phenomenon was witnessed in Gujarat as most stations in the state had maximum temperatures in the range of 33-45 degrees Celsius. Surendranagar was the hottest city in the state with a maximum temperature recorded at 45.3 degrees Celsius.

In Uttar Pradesh, Agra recorded the highest maximum temperature at 47.7 degrees Celsius.

The IMD had issued a red alert for Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, and West Rajasthan and an orange alert for East Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar due to the heatwave conditions.

Heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are very likely in many pockets in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, and Delhi until May 22, and in some parts of West Uttar Pradesh on May 19, the Met Department said.

Heatwave conditions are predicted in some parts of East Uttar Pradesh, West Uttar Pradesh, pockets of Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha until May 22. Similar conditions are expected to prevail in Bihar, Gangetic West Bengal, and Jharkhand until May 20.

-PTI